Super Mario 64…and Parallel Universes?

If you’ve ever watched a TAS video (aka Tool-Assisted Speedrun or Superplay), you know the crazy tricks and glitches people can pull off in classic games such as Ocarina of Time, Majora’s Mask, or Super Mario 64. If you’re new to the genre, you’re in for a treat because this is something that would even blow a TAS runner’s mind.

On January 12th of this year, YouTube user Pannenkoek2012 uploaded a very detailed video describing the many mechanics he uses to complete Super Mario 64 with the least amount of ‘A’ button presses as possible. Due to the discovery of two new techniques he decided to show and explain how he went from beating a stage in 1x A-press to beating it in 0.5x A-presses within 6 months.

Now before you ask yourself “How do you only half-press a button?” a simple way to look at it is that he has been holding the A button prior to entering the level. This allows him to do certain things like float longer with the wing cap, swim, and jump-kick as long as the A-button is being held.

In particular, the TAS community has learned of two new techniques that have allowed Pannen to achieve a 0.5x A-press run called Scuttlebug Raising and Parallel Universe Movement. You read correctly: Parallel Universe Movement, or PU Movement. He goes in depth of how parallel universes exist inside of Super Mario 64 and their usefulness in achieving a 0.5x A-press run. They’re defined as replicated spaces of stages without entities including elevators, enemies, or even walls.

Pannen also explains some other techniques he used such as Scuttlebug Transportation and Hyper Speed Walking. While not new techniques, his detailed explanations shed some light on how these mechanics work and their general usefulness to A-press runs.

Though this whole video is very entertaining in its own right, users of Tumblr have begun associating scuttlebugs with parallel universe travelling and how it was stuck in the air for over 12 hours for its role in this particular A-press run.